Almond Snowballs Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and salt to soft peaks, then add sugar and beat again until peaks are stiff. Beat in almond flavoring. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in half of the coconut. Sprinkle in the nutmeg and flour, stir, then fold in the remaining coconut.
• Using a melon baller or other small scoop, or working with 2 spoons, form 9 "snowballs" a couple of inches apart on each of 2 cookie sheets. Bake snowballs 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and garnish each snowball with half a cherry and a couple of slivered almonds. Transfer to a rack or serving plate to cool.

Steps:

• Pulse the almonds and sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Add the butter and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the dough off the inside of the bowl, if needed. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and pulse to combine. Add the flour and salt and pulse to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of waxed paper and roll into a log about 15 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the chilled dough into 1/2-inch pieces and roll by hand into balls. Space the cookies evenly on the prepared baking sheets and bake until slightly golden, rotating the sheets once, 15 to 20 minutes. Put the confectioners' sugar in a pie plate. Briefly cool the cookies on a rack, then gently toss in the confectioners' sugar until evenly coated. Return to rack, cool to room temperature, and then toss again in the confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Beat or mix together flour, butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
• Cut the almond paste into 1/2-inch slices, then cut slices into 1/4ths.
• Shape 1-inch ball of cookie dough around each piece of almond paste; roll gently and form a ball.
• Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are golden brown.
• Remove to a wire rack.
• Cool for 30 minutes; dip tops into Almond Frosting, then into glitter or coarse sugar.

Steps:

• In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the almond flour, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately pour flour into a small bowl to cool. Watch carefully: Once the flour begins to toast, it will happen very quickly.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar on low speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, brandy and almond extract until well combined.
• Reduce speed to low and gradually add all-purpose flour, salt and toasted almond flour until just incorporated.
• Scrape the dough into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Using your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls and place balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, until cookies begin to brown at edges. Rotate cookie sheets halfway through for even baking.
• Place 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar into a sieve. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sift a thick layer of confectioners' sugar over the tops. Once cookies are cool, put remaining 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar (plus any sugar in the sieve) into a shallow bowl and toss cookies again in confectioners' sugar.